Tougher climb than expected but the end result was beautiful. The lake is rather low this time of year but it was cool to see everything beneath normal water level. The switchbacks were killer. Rough terrain so watch out for loose rocks, water in some areas and stumps. Had the whole place to ourselves once we reached the top.

We didn’t have ideal weather which impacts my rating a bit. Extremely foggy and misted a bit but it was still a great, challenging hike. Saw several groups of mountain goats along the way up to and at the peak. The fog did manage to part for about 10 minutes while we were at the top so we could see some of the nearby peaks and the lake below. Down seemed to take a lot longer than up, but that was probably mental because of the weather.

We did the hike from the lower trailhead. We lucked out with the weather - November 12th and sunny, temps in the mid 40s, but this hike is such a workout that we shed our coats pretty quickly. No snow anywhere on the trail, a few parts were slightly muddy. The first part through the forest is very pleasant, but fairly steep already. After the merge with the upper trail, it becomes very steep, and very rocky. Our lab is pretty fit and used to hiking, but she was not happy crossing one section which is all big rocks (an old rock slide?). Other than that, the trail is wonderfully maintained - fresh log railings and LOTS of rock steps. Beware, what was supposed to be a 5.3 mile hike was really more like 8.9 miles according to our smart watches - and sure felt like it, too! The views from the top are amazing and get progressively better the higher you go, so it's definitely worth it, but next time we may consider leaving the doggo behind.

very cool and well worth the hike. this was our first actual hike so it's hard to measure it against anything. pretty steep incline but we'll marked trails and plenty of stuff to see. people along the way were very friendly. had an unbelievable time.....yes well worth it. ad thank you to those of you who donate your time to keep those trails looking the way they do.

Breathtakingly gorgeous. Very steep climb, but there’s so much to take in, you don’t care. Make sure to take time to stop at the little offshoots/viewpoints. We only saw a few people the whole time. Can be a bit slippery. Poles would have been helpful, but we managed just fine. Want to come back and do it again.

Did this hike 6 weeks ago from the lower trailhead in a torrential downpour. The hike was good but the visibility at the top was non existent. I must say i am so glad i did it again today (Nov 8th).Left at 8am and there was still fog in the area all the way until i reached the upper trailhead. Then the skies cleared and the weather was as perfect as it could ever be. The views at the top are astounding. I could see Rainier, Adams, Baker to the north and even St Helens. This a tough hike so you better be in shape. Its a steep incline the whole way with very few breaks. Well worth the climb though and i will continue to use it as good training ground for some of the bigger mountains.

The lower trail was really scenic with a nice forest view, I would only do this part once.

The upper trail was AMAZING and very tough during the last stretch of it.. It was pretty hard to find the trail due to the big rocks and the hard incline up. The whole trail had great lookouts. though. The top was really cold, but that was expected. We made the sunset in time.

Definitely one of my favorite hikes ever and I would do the upper trail over and over again

This is a great trail to just take in views of the surrounding areas. Although there were definitely others when we went around mid morning on a Sunday, it didn’t really feel too crowded. You are definitely climbing a little but there is nothing too steep. The path is wide and even, which makes it easier. The views of the surrounding mountains and of the water are spectacular. You have many opportunities along the trail to see so many beautiful things. Would definitely do this again and definitely do it mid morning or earlier since it looked like it got cloudier as the day progressed.

Last 9 miles before trailhead is all gravel with potholes. My sedan made it up fine but had to drive pretty slow. Hike was difficult with poles being a must. No snow seen. Gorgeous views. Could not stay at the top as we stumbled upon a herd of mountain goats that popped up from the side of the mountain and started to quickly follow us down the trail. Other reviews stated they were friendly but to me they did not seem so as they were hot on our trail. Please be cautious and turn back if there are goats in your path! Views are amazing though!

I actually made a big loop by continuing on past the lake and following the trail (not always easy) clockwise. It was a really tough hike, totaling 12.64 miles and 8545 feet of elevation change. The elevation change is what made this hike so challenging for me. The hike to the lake wasn't too strenuous, and the lake itself is beautiful. I had mostly sunny skies and there weren't too many people out for a Saturday. Continuing up past the lake provides some pretty spectacular views looking back down. Going further, you start to hike over mountain passes, which provides plenty of great views, including of Hurricane Ridge. I hiked through snow for a few miles, though never more than 6 inches deep. The really demanding part for me (specifically, for my knees) was the last 4 or so miles, which is just a continuous downhill trek. It was quite an experience and I'm glad I did it, but I have no real desire to do that whole loop again. I would certainly recommend the hike to Lake Angeles and back, and would suggest hiking a bit past the lake for those great views from above.

Had a great hike on the upper trail, which is for sure, difficult, especially after the snow fell the evening before. Wear appropriate footwear and dress for conditions. The ascent is testing so do lots of sauntering to prepare. You will love it! The 360 view is real nice.

Beautiful views from the beginning. I felt a little guilty I drove up the mountain to get to this trailhead at the top- I likehiking the whole mountain for the payoff- but drive provided beautiful views. Saw deer and lots of sweeping vistas. Easy hike, lots of views.

First time on the trail. Started at the lower portion to get the full experience @ 7:00am. Lower is a breeze. 2 miles of casually walking through the forest with the occasional incline and switch back. After you hit the sign pointing to the upper parking lot things begin to pick up. The trail become gradually steeper. When you finally get out the forest the trail begins to turn into the mountain side and you are above the clouds by now and the view is Breathtaking ( if not covered by clouds or fog). The hike to the peak was hard only because there was a good amount of snow covering the trail. Because of the snow the trail was a lot more slick and not treaded on since we were the second group on the trail that morning. Total it took us about 3 hours to the top and 2 down. The trek down was tough (around 11:00am) since there were many people on the trail. There was ALOT of people heading up when we were heading down. GO EARLY! It will be worth it. Nothing is worse than standing in line during a hike. If you take the upper trailhead you will be saving a lot of time. Probably wont do the lower trailhead again. Not much of a challenge. DRESS WARM (THERE IS SNOW UP THERE). The last section of the trail is very steep! Be prepared to a hike with much variety and levels on intensity. IF YOUR BOOTS ARENT WATERPROOF THEY WILL GET SOAKED